Tales of Jazz and Gin
by A.Garbo
Summary: My take on Cruella De Vil's story with the Author. Written before the airing of 4x19.


Fictional London was roaring with movement and lights. The calendars marked an eternal 1922. It was nine o'clock in the evening. Cars went up and down the streets. Women's dresses glittered brighter than the sun, as did the men's shoes. Small groups, big groups, couple's, single individuals... They just wanted to have fun. Everyone was in their best attire and body's walked in anticipation for the nights events. Music was already playing inside the clubs. Some crazy rhythm it was!

"How wonderful it must be to go dance and have a good time out there." Cruella wondered, looking out of her bedroom's window.

Cruella, or Ellie as she preferred to be called, was forbidden by her mother to go out of the house. Even out of her attic most of the time. The blasted dogs would stand outside the doors guarding her. She hated them so... She knew it wasn't the poor animals' fault, but she hoped for the day she could just skin them and wear them as a coat, parading it in front of her dear mother's eyes.

She opened the window and welcomed the soft summer night's breeze that kissed her blond locks. The flowery scent came in and made her smile, something rare lately. She heard the sound of leafs being ruffled and looked down. Yet, she saw nothing at all. Cherry Tree Lane was empty. Cruella concentrated in the little noises and muffled sounds of people talking and singing. She then glanced up, towards the sky and saw the two stars, one brighter than the other. It was silly to wish upon a star but, well... Why not? But there were so many things she wanted! She wanted to go out and have fun like others did. She wanted her mother to be more loving towards her and stop the magic on the bloody dogs! It would seem rather childish but she would like to have a cat for a change. A white ragdoll with blue eyes and a red bow around its neck. She would call it Button. A cat seemed to be a rather good company. Better than people, anyway. But then, Mother probably would work her magic on the little cat too... Better not wish for an animal. It was bound to go wrong and really asking for it. Freedom would have to do. It was settled! Cruella would ask for Freedom! As she was about to formulate her wish, Cruella's thoughts were interrupted.

"Miss? Could you lend me a hand?"

Cruella looked to the tree branch at her right side and saw a man, trying hard not to avoid a twenty foot fall by wrapping his arms and legs around the tree branch.

"What the devil are you doing there, you blithering sap?"

"Huh, I - I was trying to reach you. I would introduce myself but as you can see, I'm in no position to do it properly."

Cruella chuckled with her eyes shinning at the moonlight and held out a hand for the stranger to grab. Their fingertips brushed for a magical second.

"Work with me, chap! Or else we'll both fall to our deaths." The man crawled a bit further on the branch towards Cruella's window and tried again. Now he could grab her hand and use the windowsill to hoist himself inside the attic. And so he did. "That's it! Attaboy!" she cheered. He was now face to face with her, and how beautiful she was!

"Hello!"

"Hi!"

"I'm Isaac."

"I'm Ellie."

It was a bit off to have someone other than mother in her room.

"Thank you for your assistance back there."

"I couldn't leave you there to die, could I?"

"Well, you could but I'm glad you didn't!" he exclaimed, smiling widely.

"What's a Ritzy guy like you doing climbing a modest bird's window? Are you on the lam?"

"What?"

"Are they gonna pinch you?"

"Pinch?"

"Oh, come on, chap! Are you fleeing the police!"

"Oh, no! Of course not!"

"Keep it down!" Cruella said, pleadingly.

"What's with the secrecy?"

"The dogs. There are two dogs guarding my door and they'll spill everything to my mother, Mrs. Killjoy, if they hear you, so I would appreciate if you keep it as low as possible. I don't need anymore trouble."

"Oh, yes; I'm awfully sorry." Isaac said, lowering his tone as he sat with her by the window.

"Were you trying to kill yourself back there or something?"

"Kill myself?"

"Well, you know: going toes up, biting the bowl off the spoon, going to Heaven, going six feet under..."

"No, of course not! I specifically remember telling you that I was trying to reach you."

"Reach me? Whatever for?"

"Oh well, I'm a writer, I notice things. I require something and you are the perfect woman for the job."

"Why should I help you? I don't know you at all!" said Cruella in shock.

"Well, if that poses a problem, we should get to know each other."

"And what makes you think I'd like to get to know you, o kippy one?"

"Oh trust me, you want to."

"Why?"

"For starters, I'm a nice chap." he said, tenderly smiling down at her.

Cruella chuckled.

"That's all very well, but I should hate my mother finding me with a perfect stranger in my room. God knows what she'd have those ghastly dogs do to you if she found you here." said Cruella with a very sad tone.

"Let's go some place else then!" said Isaac, jumping from the windowsill and crouching in front of her and grabbing her hands.

"How? Unless you have two juicy porkchops coated in sleeping pills crushed into powder, I don't really recommend the use of that door, which happens to be the only way out of this wretched room."

"Well, it's not the only way; I didn't come through the door."

"The lights are on but nobody's home, I see..."

"Don't be that way. We can get out. If you want to stay, it's fine by me -"

"I think you know that I don't want to stay. But I don't want you to die because of me or to suffer whatever punishment my mother will have for me, after you are sprawled on the floor...half eaten. My room is up here for some reason. It keeps me in and all others out."

"Apparently not all people."

"You are some strange exception. How do you plan to get out of here without being seen or heard, hotshot?"

"We could use a bit of the ole magic."

"Dumb question: do you happen to have the said magic?"

"We all have some..."

"I see, the answer is no. Well, you climbed the wrong window, friend. There's no magic in this room, much less in me. There's only one person with magic in this house and she's not very nice with strangers that plan to free her daughter from her claws; the motives for which she locked her on her own daughter are still are very obscure."

"Come on, Ellie! You just have to believe and wish it!" Isaac said, his thumbs caressing the back of both her hands. "Close your eyes and think of the place you want to go.

"Whatever gibberish you're saying!"

Cruella did, failing to notice that Isaac had sprinkled her with pixie dust. She felt his fingers entwine with hers and both disappeared in a cloud of smoke, only to reappear dazzling roaring-with-music room which was absolutely crowded. Isaac turned to look at her and smiled.

They spotted a table in the middle of the club and walked there. A waiter came to take their orders.

"Gin, please." Isaac asked. Cruella grinned, amused by his courteous tone. The waiter disappeared. Isaac and Cruella were now alone and he couldn't help to peer into her clear clue eyes. She looked so happy to be there with him, so relieved for fleeing her prison. He was having a hard time taking his eyes off her. She was so lovely... But the waiter came back with two glasses with the asked gin and the enchantment was broken. They both took a sip and looked around. They were nervous now. This time, it would be Cruella the one to break the ice.

"You never told me why you wanted my help."

"I need an object that is currently in your mother's possession. I think you know what I'm talking about..."

Cruella's cheeks went red with shame and revolt.

"Forget it! I'm not going to steal it for you."

"Nobody said anything about stealing."

"What do you propose, then?"

"I'm willing to pay for the object!"

"It's not for sale and even if it was, I don't believe you could afford to buy it from my mother. It's priceless."

"My offer will match the price of the object."

"What's your offer?"

"Freedom."

Cruella laughed humourlessly.

"You have to be joking... Right; and how, pray tell, do you intend to deliver me from my mother?"

"Magic."

"Magic?"

"Yes. I can give you magic to counter your mother's. You'll be able to do as you will. Such pretty lady shouldn't be locked in an attic forever whatever the reason, should she?" Isaac pointed, smiling. Cruella pondered. He was offering all she wished for. She would be able to escape, to go dance when she felt like, to make friends and above all to make her own choices. It was a dream come true, but at for a price. Stealing from her mother... Was she willing? But most important: was she capable?

No matter how cruel she was, she was still her mother. Isaac understood the predicament and the conflict in her mind. It wasn't something that could be done in light consciousness. But Isaac needed the object. He needed it desperately.

"Tell you what, Ellie; I'll give you magic anyway. You decide if you want to help me." he said, pulling a small notebook and an odd pen from his coat's inner pocket. He opened the notebook and scribbled something in one of the pages.

The young woman felt a strange sensation flowing through her body the second the pen touched the paper. Something was changing inside her and it felt good and warm.

"I feel funny." she said.

"It's just for a little while. Would you like to dance?" Isaac asked putting the notebook and the pen back inside his coat.

"Dance?" Cruella asked.

"Yes, you know whoopee, shake your patootie..."

"Cheeky bastard!" Cruella said, shaking her head at Isaac's banter. The man laughed and generously offered his hand.

The girl smiled and took the hand he was offering, they stood and Isaac led her to the dancefloor. The music was frantic, Cruella felt she would have problems keeping up.

"You'll have to teach me the steps!" she said, rather amused.

"Oh, it's simpler than it looks! You have it in you, just let it out!"

He led her with agility and grace, one of his hands in one of hers and the other on her waist. Her perfume came to her senses. She smelled like orange tree flowers and vanilla cream pastries. She adored the scent of his cologne; so manly but gentle and fresh. His touch felt so good, so appeasing. He way he made his free hand travel up her back and touched her skin did things to her. No wonder he liked to touch her, Ellie's skin was softer than cotton puffs.

As hours went by, people started to leave and the music's rhythm became slower. Now they were completely alone, dancing, no distance between them, cheek to cheek, her chin on his shoulder. Cruella let a happy sigh and smiled with her eyes closed. This was what freedom felt like and it was amazing. For the first time in years, she had a good day; and it was all thanks to Isaac. He would leave without a proper thank you. Now his hands were on her hips and his chin was on her shoulder. She turned her head and kissed his cheek. She felt his hand snake up her back and his hand caressing her blond curls and the back of her neck.

"Isaac?"

"Yes?"

"I'm going to help you."

He turned his head to face her and saw her red lips forming a smile. He looked incredulous.

"You are?" She nodded her head and he just evolved her in a tight embrace. "Thank you, Ellie. Thank you, darling." he said, sighing in relief. But he wasn't smiling. Cruella couldn't see it for he had buried his lips where her neck met her shoulder but he looked sad. He had to do it. He was going to burn her to get what he needed. She looked so happy to be of use, to finally have a friend, to feel affection for the first time. But he had to destroy it all.

He almost felt like crying at the prospect of losing her and she wasn't even his yet. She was beautiful and good and he was going to destroy her. Now he didn't want to, but he simply had to. And he did. The minute he did, he regretted it. Sweet Ellie died and from her ashes, was born an evil gin-drunk, fur-addicted, homicidal, sociopath, monochromatic monster. He had no one to blame for that but himself.

THE END

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Author's Note: This OS was written before the airing of episode 4x19. The mistakes are my own. Hope you liked it. Please, leave a review.


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